Automobile torpedo.



F. E. SMITH. AUTOMOBILE TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. 1914. 1,147,275. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- fl/ r 7 /""7 hip 6M7 W COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WA5HINGTON, D. C.

F. E. SMITH.

AUTOMOBILE TORPEDO.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 7, 1914. 1,147,275. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co., WASHINGTON, 0. cv

STATES PATENT FRANKLIN ELIJAH SMITH, OF WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

AUTOMOBILE TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed March 7, 1914. Serial No. 823,072.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN ELIJaH SMITH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Portland Harbour lVorks, Weymouth, county of Dorset, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile torpedoes of the kind in which means are provided for heating the compressed. air serving as the motive fluid, prior to its delivery to the propelling engine.

In such torpedoes as heretofore proposed, it has been necessary in order to prevent 1njury to the propelling engine and other working parts of the heating system, due to excessive heat, to have them placed in connection with circulating sea water, thus rendering it impracticable to obtain the greatest possible thermal efliciency desired from the preheating, and the chief object of the present invention is to obviate this difficulty.

According to this invention, in order to prevent any heat which may be radiated from the heating system from penetrating the balance chamber, and thereby detrimentally affecting the working of the hydrostatic valve contained therein, a hollow partition is provided between the aforesaid watertight compartment and the balance chamber, this hollow partition being kept cool by the passage of sea water through it during the travel of the torpedo through the water. For this purpose the said partition may be open at its lower and upper parts to the sea water. Instead of employing the above mentioned water cooled partition, the hydrostatic valve, together with the other mechanism in the balance chamber may be inclosed in a hollow casing through which cooling water is caused to pass.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a torpedo showing a form of the aforesaid hollow partition. Fig. 2 is a local view showing the said partition more clearly. Fig. 3 is a face elevation of the partition. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 1, 1 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing diagrammatically the aforesaid hollow casing containing the hydrostatic valve.

A is the shell of the torpedo, A is the balance chamber containing the hydrostatic valve A*, A is the chamber containing the propelling engine A. and the air heating apparatus. This apparatus is similar to that set forth in my concurrent application Serial No. 7 948% and comprises a helical air tube E.

E is the compressed air container.

F represents the liquid flask and G represents the hollow partition between the chambers A and A The partition G that divides the chanr bers A and A is as shown by Figs. 2, 3 and 4 formed by two doors which are attached in a watertight manner to annular brackets or rings 9 on the inner surface of the torpedo shell, leaving a space between the doors for the circulation of the sea water. These brackets or rings are dished as shown for the reception of a part of the helical tube E. The lower opening 9' is directed toward the forward end of the torpedo and the upper opening 9 toward the rear of the torpedo. By these means the water is scooped up by the lower opening and forced through the partition and out of the upper opening thus insuring a constant flow of sea water through the space.

Fig. 5 shows the arrangement in which the hydrostatic valve is surrounded by a hollow casing A through which sea water passes, this casing being provided at or near its lower end with a forwardly extending pipe a in communication with the sea and at or near its upper end with a rearwardly extending pipe a also in communication with the sea.

What I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an automobile torpedo, the combina tion with the compressed air container, the propelling engine driven by the compressed air, the air heating apparatus, the chamber containing said apparatus, and the balance chamber, of a hollow partition between said chamber and means for causing water to cir- 1 culate through said partition.

2. In an automobile torpedo,the combination with the compressed air container, the propelling engine driven by the compressed air, the air heating apparatus, the chamber containing said apparatus, and'the balance chamber, of a hollow partition between said chambers, said partition having openings at 1ts top and bottom portions 1n communica-' tion with the sea water.

' 3. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with the compressed air container, the

propelling engine driven by the compressed air, the air heating apparatus, the chamber containing said apparatus, and the balance chamber, of a hollow partition between said FRANKLIN ELIJ AH SMITH.

Witnesses:

THOS. E. HARGREAVES, T. SELBY VVARDLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. 0. 

